A former TAFE chief executive officer has accused the Victorian Government of displaying "petty short-sightedness and outright rudeness" in sacking of at least half of the state's 14 TAFE board chairs.

The TAFE board chairs at Bendigo and Wodonga will leave in the next 12 months.

Legislation passed last year allows the Skills Minister to hire and fire all TAFE board members, rather than appoint a majority of the board as was previously the case.

The former CEO of Chisholm TAFE, Virginia Simmons, says the Government should be ashamed.

"The Napthine Government's unceremonious sacking of more than half of the 14 TAFE board chairs is an outrage and an insult to all those competent industry leaders and dedicated citizens who have given so unstintingly to the their local TAFE communities over many years and who, in more recent times, have worked to guide the institutes through a period of unprecedented budget cuts," Ms Simmons said.

"The heavy-handed way in which this has occurred constrains the current CEOs from speaking out. However, as a former CEO of Chisholm Institute, I cannot remain silent about the sacking of board chair David Willersdorf (of Chisholm Institute)."

"Until recently, David Willersdorf, was the general manager of the Grenda Corporation which started as a family company. By the time it was sold in 2011 it employed over 2000 people and had a turnover close to $400 million."

"In short, he brings the ideal balance of financial acumen and educational commitment to the board table.

"Is this a man without a commercial focus or who needs to be told about restructuring? Who is the Government kidding?"

Mr Hall last week said the changes to TAFE boards were aimed at shifting them from an advisory model to one of commercial focus.

He said the Independent TAFE Reform Panel "found that the composition, skills and remuneration for TAFE boards were not considered 'fit-for-purpose' for the more competitive market in which TAFE institutes now operate."

Mr Hall said the Government thanked the TAFE chairs for their work during the period of transition.